This invention relates to a brewing funnel having a delay mechanism therein for prolonging the steep time of a brewed beverage within the brewing funnel prior to the brewed beverage being drained from the brewing funnel.
Generally, brewing funnels do not have any means by which to prolong the steep time of a brewed beverage therein. Commonly, water is sprayed into a brewing funnel containing a charge of brewing substance. The water is then infused with the brewing substance to create a brewed beverage. However, because there is no mechanism to control the steep time of the brewed beverage, the final product that is drained from the brewing funnel is a combination of brewed beverage with a long steep time and brewed beverage with a short steep time. This inconsistency in the infusion process provides for an inconsistent tasting brewed beverage.
Other brewing funnels which do contain means for prolonging the steep time, however, also cause other problems for the user. The delay mechanisms can be lost or damaged during the cleaning of the brewing funnel. For instance, if a delay mechanism is not securely attached to the brewing funnel, the delay mechanism may be lost in the garbage when a user bangs the brewing funnel over a receptacle to remove any unused brewing substance contained therein. The user may not realize right away that a piece of the delay mechanism was lost during this process until the next time the funnel is used, which may be too late. But, if a delay mechanism is permanently attached to the brewing funnel, the brewing funnel and delay mechanism will cause other problems in cleaning both the brewing funnel and the delay mechanism.
Reports have also surfaced that when the steep time of a brewed beverage is too short, bacteria that is contained in the brewing substance is not killed off by the infusion process. These reports have stated that as the steep time for a brewed beverage is extended, more bacteria will be killed within the brewed beverage.